RAMIE /CHINA GRASS
◆It grows well in warm climate and requires moist soil.
◆It is commercially grown in China Australia, Egypt, India, Russia, Phillippines etc.
◆In India, it is mainly grown in Assam and West Bengal and popularly called Rhea, Kunkuna etc.
◆It grows rapidly and require abundant rainfall.
◆It yields 3-5 crops a year depending upon proper irrigation.
Introduction
◆Ramie comes from perennial plants of the Boehmeria clan, viz. Boehmeria Nivea or Boehmeria Tenacissema.◆It grows well in warm climate and requires moist soil.
◆It is commercially grown in China Australia, Egypt, India, Russia, Phillippines etc.
◆In India, it is mainly grown in Assam and West Bengal and popularly called Rhea, Kunkuna etc.
◆It grows rapidly and require abundant rainfall.
◆It yields 3-5 crops a year depending upon proper irrigation.
Stages of fibre production
(a) Cultivation:-
◆Ramie is planted just before monsoon (April-May) so as to use whole rainy season for its growth.
◆Another season may be September-October which requires frequent irrigation.
◆The plant grows to a height of 4-6 feet and require heavy manuring for growth.
◆Ramie is planted just before monsoon (April-May) so as to use whole rainy season for its growth.
◆Another season may be September-October which requires frequent irrigation.
◆The plant grows to a height of 4-6 feet and require heavy manuring for growth.
(b) Harvesting
◆Harvesting is done when small flower buds begin to appear and lower leaves begin to yellow and fall.
◆Stalk has a height of about 5-7 feet at the stage.
◆The cans of this grass like plant contain a series of bast fibre bundles that extend the full length of the can and are held together by gums, waxes and pectins.
◆Harvesting is done when small flower buds begin to appear and lower leaves begin to yellow and fall.
◆Stalk has a height of about 5-7 feet at the stage.
◆The cans of this grass like plant contain a series of bast fibre bundles that extend the full length of the can and are held together by gums, waxes and pectins.
(e) Decortication
◆Ramie fibres are removed from the stalks by the process called decortication often carried out by hand.
◆Decortication is the peeling or beating out the bark and the fibrous bast material from the water soaked green stalk soon after harvesting, using the help of a suitable scraper or knife. ◆The ramie fibre strands are then dried and sun bleached.
◆Now-a-day decortication is done through machines since manually it is expensive and imperfect.
◆Ramie fibres are removed from the stalks by the process called decortication often carried out by hand.
◆Decortication is the peeling or beating out the bark and the fibrous bast material from the water soaked green stalk soon after harvesting, using the help of a suitable scraper or knife. ◆The ramie fibre strands are then dried and sun bleached.
◆Now-a-day decortication is done through machines since manually it is expensive and imperfect.
(d)Degumming:-
◆Decortication does not completely remove wax and gummy substance.
◆This is done during degumming.
◆Natural adherend gums, holding the fibres in dense strands, are removed so as to make the gum-free fibres more fluffy and suitable for spinning. ◆Degumming is done by two methods-
(a) chemical degumming; and
(b) bacteriological degumming.
◆Decortication does not completely remove wax and gummy substance.
◆This is done during degumming.
◆Natural adherend gums, holding the fibres in dense strands, are removed so as to make the gum-free fibres more fluffy and suitable for spinning. ◆Degumming is done by two methods-
(a) chemical degumming; and
(b) bacteriological degumming.
(a) Chemical degumming:-
The strands of ramie are immersed in caustic soda solution (chemical
degumming) for about 34 hours which removes much of the binding gums and loosened fibres are then mildly treated with aqueous bleaching powder followed by dilute acid wash and water wash and then drying.
The strands of ramie are immersed in caustic soda solution (chemical
degumming) for about 34 hours which removes much of the binding gums and loosened fibres are then mildly treated with aqueous bleaching powder followed by dilute acid wash and water wash and then drying.
(b) Bacteriological degumming:-
◆In this process strands of remie are treated with water contaminated with bacteria which attacks waxes and gums leaving cellulosé unaffected.
◆This method needs time and care but produces longer fibre.After this process the fibres are ready for spinning.
◆In this process strands of remie are treated with water contaminated with bacteria which attacks waxes and gums leaving cellulosé unaffected.
◆This method needs time and care but produces longer fibre.After this process the fibres are ready for spinning.
#Properties
(A) Physical properties◆Ramie is a multicellular bast fibre, by and large cellulosic in nature, having practically little lignin and hemicellulose.
The intercellular binding constituents present in significant amounts are natural gums and pectinous matters.
◆The cells of ramie fibre may be as long as 40-45 cm, cylindrical in nature and cahracterised by thick walls and narrow curved lumens.
◆In longitudinal view appears as a flattened and of irregular shape.
◆It is silky white and lustrous in appearance.
◆Fibre diameter is about 0.04-0.06 mm.
◆It has a teñacity of 5.33-7.4gm/denier and breaking elongation of 1.5-2.4 % . It is the strongest and durable of all vegetable fibres.
(B) Chemical properties:-
◆Cold and warm weak mineral acids have no effect on fibre whereas with dilute hot alkali, there is little loss of fibre.
◆Boiling with dilute mineral acids result in hydrolysis of cellulose.
◆Cold and warm weak mineral acids have no effect on fibre whereas with dilute hot alkali, there is little loss of fibre.
◆Boiling with dilute mineral acids result in hydrolysis of cellulose.
# Uses
◆Ramie is mainly used to make ropes, strings and fishing nets.◆In China it is used for making 'Grass Cloth' and White Summer Cloth'.
◆It can be bleached to obtain good white cloth and can be dyed with all classes of dyes used for cotton.
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